Washing machine



June 22, 1937. P. E. BARKER 2,084,559

WASHING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Percy E .IBaJ'Ker "bu/L MAM W ATTORNEYS June 22, 1937. P. E. BARKER WASHING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IPIIII llll .H. l llllllllll ll ATTORNEYS June 22, 1937.

P. E. BARKER 2,084,569

' WASHING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 9 9 v i a I [a a 1 /4 7 E I Q I- 1 I l6 l9 5/ /5 m 9 I d l INVENTOR PGTCY E.J3avrl(er BY WWW ATTORNEY Juhe 22, 1937.

P. E. BARKER WASHING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Percy 5136mm Y RX/ WW ATTORNEYS June 22, 1937.

P. E. BARKER 2,084,569

WASHING MACH INE Filed March 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Per or E .Ba-rKer BYFQL. W W

ATTORNEYS Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED STATES WASHING MACHINE Percy E.

Barker, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Arthur Betz, Cleveland, Ohio Application March 28, 1936, Serial No. 71,441

2 Claims.

My invention relates to washing machines of the pounder type,,and the invention resides more particularly in the simple and effective mechanism herein shown and described for imparting reciprocatory and rotary movements to the pounders; whereby the upward movement of the pounder may be accelerated and increased agitation of the water and improved washing effects may be obtained; whereby a straight line move- 'ment may be imparted by oscillatory means to the pounder shaft to avoid bind and wear on the shaft and its bearings; whereby the pounder shaft may be partially rotated by a ratchet device or its equivalent during the interval when the pounders '15 are lifted to their highest elevation; and whereby adjustments may be conveniently made to vary themovements imparted by the said mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation and sectional view 'of a washing machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on a larger scale and at a different angle, of a tub and my improved pounder operating mechanism beneath the bottom thereof;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the operating mechanism on lines 3-3 and 3--3' of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side View and section of the oper ating mechanism corresponding to Figure 2, but on a larger scale and with the parts shown in dotted lines in different working positions;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rocker arm;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the crank connection;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the supporting link for the rocker arm;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bracket from which the link is suspended;

Figure 9 is an enlarged section and top View on line 9-9 of Figure 10 device for rotating the pounder shaft; and

Figure 10 is a side view, partly in section, of the same device.

In power-operated washing machines of the pounder type it is a common practice to mount 5 a rotatable and reciprocable shaft 2 centrally within a stationary tube 3 and provide a yoke 4 at the upper end of the shaft to carry cupshaped pounders 5 within the tub. In the present instance the operating mechanism is located 50 wholly beneath the bottom of the tub and comprises an electric motor 6 suitably suspended from a supporting frame I for the tub and operatively connected by a friction clutch 8 and with a train of speed-reducing gearing 9 mounted within a 5'5 suitable casing 9 which is also suspended from frame 1, see Figure 1. When a wringer I0 is mounted upon the tub it may be operated by the same gearing 9, and a suitable clutch l I may also be used, see Figure 3, to transmit power by means of a separate shaft 12 and a crank M to the operating mechanism for the pounder shaft 2. Thus, referring to Figures 2 and 4, a link [5 conneots the crank pin pivotally with a bent lever or rocker arm it which is pivotally supported at its outer end upon the lower forked end of a short link H. The upper forked end of link I! is suspended from a hinge pin it extending through an ear I9 on a depending bracket 20, thus permitting the link and rocker arm to swing back and forth within limits in respect to pounder shaft 2 when said arm is oscillated vertically by crank I4 and connecting link l5. A coiled compression spring 2| is interposed between the top 22 of bracket 20 and a lateral branch 23 on swinging link I! to hold the link yieldingly against the vertical leg of the bracket, or against the end of an adjustable stop, such as a set screw 24. Bracket 20 is formed with a straight vertical rib 25 which is co-extensive with the swinging link and projected a given distance beyond the inner end of set screw 26 to permit a curved wing or cam rib 26 on the bottom of rocker arm IE to engage and rock on the flat face of rib 25 during a part of the time that said rocker arm is oscillated by crank [4. A shoe 27 of U-shape is pivotally connected with the bifurcated end 28 of rocker arm I6 and this shoe is free to slide and reciprocate between a fixed collar 29 and an oscillating collar 30 mounted upon the lower end of pounder shaft 2. Thus during the oscillatory movements of rocker arm I6 the pounder shaft 2 is reciprocated and also rotated by shoe 21, the rotary movement being effected intermittently by a ratchet wheel 3| and a spring pressed ball 32 or its equivalent, carried by collar 30. As shown, ball 32 is held within an offset 33 at one side of loose collar 30 opposite the ratchet teeth, and a pin 34 extends upwardly from one leg of the U- shaped shoe into a radial slot 35 in collar 30. The ratchet wheel is pinned to pounder shaft 2 and collar 30 is free to rotate in respect thereto, thereby permitting the reciprocable movement of the shoe to oscillate collar 39. The idle stroke of the ratchet wheel occurs when the rocker arm moves the pounder shaft downwardly, and the working stroke of the ratchet wheel and turning of the pounder shaft takes place during the latter part of the upward movement of the rocker arm and shaft, that is, while the pounders are emerging from the water in the tub. The upward movement is more rapid than the downward movement, and the shoe carrying end of .the rocker arm moves partly in an arc to reciprocate the shoe horizontally, and partly in a straight line to reciprocate the pounder shaft vertically without side thrust, especially when the shaft is projected a substantial distance downwardly beyond its bearing 36. Thus, assuming pounder shaft 2 to be in its highest position as shown in full lines in Figure 4 the rotation of crank M in the direction of arrow X on an arc of approximately one hundred and twenty degrees will swing the free end of the rocker arm downwardly because the fulcrum of movement of the rocker arm is definitely fixed at this time by set screw 24 which serves to limit the outward movement of supporting link If under the pressure of coiled spring 2|. Then as crank it continues to rotate, say ninety degrees additionally, the heel 3'! of the cam or rocker 26 on arm 46 engages rib 25 on bracket 20 and a rocking movement is imparted to arm l6 which causes the shoe carrying end of the arm to move downwardly on a straight line parallel with the longitudinal axis of pounder shaft 2 until the limits of its downward stroke is reached. Supporting link ll" swings toward pounder shaft 2 during the straight line rocking movement just described and compresses spring 2 l, but as crank M continues to rotate about sixty degrees further the said spring will reverse the swinging movement of supporting link I! toward set screw 24 thereby keeping the cam rib 26 in riding engagement with 25 as the rocker arm is raised approximately halfway by the crank and connecting link l4. Thus shoe 2'! is caused to rise on a straight line for a given distance before it is shifted horizontally to rotate loose collar 30 and ratchet wheel 3|, the latter movement being brought about during the last ninety degrees movement of crank l4 when supporting link I1 is in a rest position against stop screw 24 and the rocker arm is moving upwardly in an arc to its hightest position and place of beginning as illustrated in full lines in Figure 4. The combined swinging and rocking movement of rocker arm I6 is desirable for several reasons; it promotes a smooth and silent application of power; it permits a straight longitudinal thrust to be imparted to the pounder shaft when the said shaft is projected its greatest distance from its being; it permits a rotative movement to the pounder shaft during that part of its stroke when the plungers are being lifted out of the water or out of contact with the goods in the tub; it permits the pounders to be raised more rapidly than they are caused to descend, the downward movement taking place through approximately two hundred and ten degrees of revolution of the crank and the upward movement requiring only one hundred and fifty degrees or thereabouts to complete the cycle of movement of the crank; and it permits the use of a spring to aid the crank and motor in raising the pounders and overcoming the suction effect in washing operations.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. Power operating mechanism suitable for a washing machine of the type described, comprising a reciprocable and rotatable shaft having a ratchet clutch connected therewith, an oscillatory arm having an operating member for said clutch, a crank having a link connected with said arm, a bracket having a link supporting one end of said arm, and a spring and rocker to change the working position of the arm in respect to the crank.

2. A power mechanism for the purpose described, comprising a reciprocating shaft, an oscillating arm having a loose connection at one end with said shaft, a crank having a link connection with said oscillating arm intermediate its ends, a link supporting the opposite end of said arm, a cam for limiting the movement of the arm in one direction, and a spring controlling the supporting link whereby the position of the working arm is changed in respect to the crank to accelerate the movement of the shaft in one direction.

PERCY E. BARKER. 

